HIV Infected Men Need Less Alcohol To Feel A 'Buzz'

Researchers at Yale University and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare found that men infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are more sensitive to alcohol than uninfected counterparts.

For the study, they compared the number of drinks that men with the virus needed to feel the effects of alcohol compared to both HIV-infected men with a suppressed version of the virus or those who were uninfected.

"Alcohol makes it more likely you're going to get HIV due to risky sexual behavior," said Dr. Amy C. Justice, professor of medicine and public health at Yale, in a news release. "Once people have HIV, alcohol makes it less likely they will take their antiretroviral medications."

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from more than 2,600 men enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, which is an ongoing multi-site study of veterans. They analyzed survey results from both HIV-infected and uninfected veterans, asking them how many drinks they needed to feel the effects of alcohol. Then, they compared the responses of the HIV participants to others with unsuppressed or detectable HIV along with suppressed HIV.

"All else equal, people who have HIV infection have a lower tolerance for alcohol than similar people without HIV infection," Justice added.

However, more research will be needed to know for certain whether HIV-infected individuals are more susceptible to alcohol or higher concentrations of it.